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Saturday, 9 February 2013

How to read files in Linux-based partitions from Windows?

A PC with Windows and Ubuntu lets you choose the best of both Operating Systems. While I use Windows usually for gaming, Ubuntu is all for work, and need to store data in both of them.

As you all are aware, Ubuntu can read NTFS, the file system that Windows uses, so can read and also store data into Windows' drives. But unfortunately, Windows is "blind" to ext partitions, i.e, Windows does not read data in ext partitions, the ones used by Ubuntu. So, while on Windows, I was unable to read files stored in my Ubuntu operating system. It was only when I came to know about Linux Reader, that I stopped rebooting my Windows to fetch files from Ubuntu.

Linux Reader is an application that lets you read Linux-based Operating System files from Windows.

Getting started:

To read files, first download this application and install using the usual Next-Next-Finish installation method of Windows and then open Linux Reader and choose the partition from which you want to read files from.

The first screen that you see when you open "Linux Reader"

This way, please:

I want to copy my Pictures folder from my /home partition. So I go to /home and then choose Pictures and then Save to save the folder to any location that you want in Windows.

The folder I want to save is located in /home. The screen shot shows "Pictures" folder is selected.

This will copy the files from your Linux partition to the folder you desire.

Select the location where you want to save the folder.

I have tested this application to work for Debian and Ubuntu, though it should work on all Linux-based operating systems.

Drawbacks:

The worst thing about this application is you can't edit files unless you save them to Windows.

The second drawback is a less serious one, but is relevant to some: Though this application is free of cost, its not open source, so you won't get to see the source code.

P.S.:There may be many other softwares better than these, offering more and better functionalities. Please let me know if you know of any. I liked Linux Reader, that's why I personally recommend this software.